Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a fixing device and an image forming apparatus including the fixing device.
Related Art
An image forming apparatus is known that includes a fixing device to form a nip by pressing a nip formation pad against a pressure rotator in a state of nipping a fixing belt, as a fixing device with a short warm-up time and less power consumption.
For example, in a fixing device, a slide sheet, which serves as a lubricant impregnated member impregnated with lubricant such as silicone oil, is attached to a contact portion of the above-described nip formation pad and the fixing belt. The lubricant, with which the above-described slide sheet attached to the nip formation pad is impregnated, adheres to the inner circumferential face of the fixing belt, so that the lubricant interposes between the slide sheet and the fixing belt. With such a configuration, the frictional force generated between the slide sheet and the fixing belt can be reduced by the lubricating effect of the lubricant, thus allowing smooth rotation of the fixing belt.